SMFF: Part 5: The Darkness Within
by D00dlebug
Summary: Mary-Jane and Fran's film has finally come out, but old secrets are about to turn up. Vampires, Goblins and the re-introduction of Spidey's greatest villian...Don't miss it! Contains scenes of horror, strong violence and gore.
1. Chapter 1: The Premier

Fran sat fidgeting. As usual, but for once even Mary-Jane didn't notice, they were sitting in the back of a long black limo heading towards the premier of Fran and M.J.'s movie. Mary-Jane sat with Peter, he was shaking with excitement and Marr-Jane found it cute that even though he was seen and adored by millions everyday, he still got scared before them seeing him without the mask. Next to Fran sat Josephine Webb from the Spider-Man film next door. She also sat fidgeting, checking her nails and playing with her hair. She also looked quite unhappy. Fran looked at her and then lent in towards her. "Are you ok?" she asked kindly. Jo looked up at her with large eyes and a thin smile spread on her face.  
"Yeah, I'm alright. It's just that Ben was supposed to be here and he's not even shown up. We had to cancel two days filming last week cause he didn't show. Nobodies seen him for a month and he hasn't left his house…apparently. I think he's just run off" Jo sulked. Fran looked at her carefully. Across the seating area, Peter picked up his drink to take a sip. Fran smiled playfully.  
"Hey, it's alright, your going to watch a movie. And you get to see me and M.J. snog" she said with a wink. There was a loud spluttering noise from the other side and Fran and Jo looked over to see a large cloud of water vapour sinking onto the floor. Peter was wiping his mouth and Mary-Jane was starring at him in shock. Jo worked out what had happened first and said simply "eew". Peter rubbed his foot on the wet patches and his cheeks burnt red.  
"Sorry" he apologized meekly. Then he turned to Mary-Jane. "What the hell? You kiss?" Mary-Jane smiled awkwardly.  
"Err…yeah, well.. You know… it wasn't like…a proper kiss as such, just.. you know…it was in the script" she said defensively. Peter looked at her with his eyebrows raised.  
"Well…did you enjoy it?" he asked seriously. Mary-Jane was about to tease him for a second when she realised he was actually worried his girlfriend had become lesbian.  
"No Pete! Of course I didn't!" she said truthfully. Peter looked at her until he was certain she was being honest. Then he turned to Fran.  
"Well? Did you?" he asked. She thought it over for a minute and despite Mary-Jane's waving and signals from behind Peter's back, she grinned and said.  
"It was awkward at first, but hey, I loved every second of it" she answered. Then she turned back to Jo as if nothing had happened. Peter sat in shock for a second and then turned to Mary-Jane again.  
"When she says 'every second'…? HOW LONG DID IT GO ON FOR????!!!!" he asked as his voice slowly raised. Mary-Jane looked at him and felt a bead of sweat roll down her hair line. Luckily Mary-Jane was saved from having to answer as the limo stopped outside a gigantic cinema complex for the premier. Crowds screamed with excitement outside and Fran grinned with excitement as the doors of the limo were opened by the chauffer.

Fran was closest to them and so got out first. Slowly placing one leg out onto the sidewalk and then pulling the other one next to it. She looked amazing, her long, blond, silky hair shining in the harsh lights. Mary-Jane got out next, equally beautiful with her long red hair grown half way down her back. Peter crept out timidly after her and looped her arm through his with the obvious fact that he wasn't about to be on his own in this. Jo got out next with her long dark hair reaching to her elbows, she smiled and briskly walked to catch up with the others. They posed for cameras, they smiled for the press. And Peter didn't even stumble. By the time they reached the door, they were having the time of their lives.

They sat down in their soft springy seats, Peter smiled as he looked around the large golden balcony, it was a wonderful feeling as the other celebrities piled in next to them, around them, above them, below them. It was like being a king, an emperor, or a really important person at any rate…

The red velvet curtains pulled back to reveal a gigantic cinema screen. It flashed red and then the whole screen was taken over by a large 4. It began a countdown and then the film started rolling, the lights dimmed, and the cinema was a silence.

Three hours later and they were back in the limo, driving to the after party. Fran was pouring champagne into glasses that seemed fuller every time, Mary-Jane was hugging to Peter and they discussed the film and how hard it had been to film, she was really anxious but Peter assured her he'd never seen better acting in his life. Even Jo was having a good time, talking about the funny parts of the film -which, at this level of alcohol, had become most of it-. Her and Fran giggled in their seats and Peter and Mary-Jane argued over random worries M.J. felt about her talent until she felt on top of the world.

Meanwhile, for the first time in over a month, footsteps could be heard approaching Ben Sewell's study. Suddenly the doors were thrown open by Bernard who came in happily shouting "Sir! Sir! I found it, I'm sorry it took so long but I finally worked out what MSN means! I spent weeks looking for a sign of the word and it was only five minutes ago I found this on Wikipedia! Listen sir! '**MSN** (The **M**icro**s**oft **N**etwork) is a collection of Internet services provided by Microsoft.' you see! Microsoft Network! that's what it means!" concluded the arthritic butler finally. And for the first time he looked up into the room in front of him.

His face dropped as he saw the open window, leaves cluttered the surrounding floor and the carpet was soaked and ruined from weeks worth of rain, wind and whatever else mother nature had thrown at and on it. There was a large knife stuck fast into the wall at head height next to the door and he jumped as he saw it. And then he looked at the floor.

There, lying on his front, face down into the dusty carpet, was Ben. He ran over to him but as he reached the desk he already knew it was too late, the man lying there was clearly dead. He lay in a pool of congealed blood that had spilt from his chest and back, whatever had pierced him had gone straight through, and as he looked back at the knifed wall, he noticed a little hole at chest level. Then he looked back at his boss and realised that he had been shot. The tangled hair fell about his face, hiding the decay that had started to take place. And Bernard could stand it no longer, he ran back out of the room and fled to the nearest phone in the mansion, he quickly dialled 999 and then paused as he tried to decide what to say, who to ask for. A calm, patient female voice sounded on the other side. "Hello? How may I help you?" the poor butler stood there for a second as the scene replayed itself in his aching head.  
"There's been a murder!"

The party was in full swing, people danced to loud music on the giant dance floor and others sat at the large round tables at the sides. Jo sat at a table with Fran, they had been dancing since they got here and now they were both exhausted, Jo grinned Dunkley at Fran as she poured another glass for them.

Fran looked out at the dance floor to where Mary-Jane and Peter now danced, she hadn't really had much time with peter but she had always considered him a bit of a geek, and it had taken him a while to get on the dance floor no matter how hard Mary-Jane had tried. But now he was on there, it was clear he knew how to move, Mary-Jane laughed as they flew around the floor, others watched at the side as they swirled around on the bright colourful ground. Peter spun Mary-Jane then let go of her hand and she stepped backwards and then went forwards as it to punch Peter, but he easily bent backwards till he was at a ninety degree angle on his back and he straightened back up just in time to catch Mary-Jane as she fell easily back into his arms. Then suddenly Fran's attention was distracted by the police officer that came over to Jo.

It took Jo a moment to realise the man standing next to her and when she did she jumped in alarm. The man kept a straight face and asked her to calm down. "Your not in any trouble, I'm here about Benjamin Sewell" he said Jo stared at him, then something seemed to click and tears sprang to her eyes as she walked away with the officer. Fran sat there for a moment longer before doing the most risky thing so far and going to interrupt Peter and M.J.'s dance…


	2. Chapter 2: Seeping Darkness

Jo sat in her apartment. It was a beautiful house, it had everything she could want, the kitchen cupboards were always full, she had full list of channels on the TV, giant speakers could blast out any song from the hundreds of CDs lined up along side it. Her bed was soft and always comfortable.

But tonight not even these amazing comforts could amuse her. She sat on the balcony, watching the cars drive by, the people running off to meet up with friends. But she wasn't. A bird cried out in the dieing light. Calling out for it's lover. But there was no lover for her now. The tears ran freely down her soft red cheeks, glinting in the damp light emitted by the street lamps below.

The apartment was dark, shadows covered the amusements from view, but she was not looking for them. There was no consoling someone ho had hit rock bottom.

The answer phone beeped loudly at her and Fran's worried voice called out to her for the fifth time that night. "Jo? Please pick up. I know that it must be awful, but lets talk. Come on Jo please? I'm sure it can't be that bad! Just look on the bright side…" the message cut off and once again Jo was left in the ever growing darkness. The ever intensifying shadows. The darkness around her…the darkness _inside _her…

The ever growing hate. Hate for the bastard who killed her love, who killed her _life! _She put her face into her hands and cried.

She got to her feet carefully and breathed in deep. There was no life left for her now, she was lost and would be until the day she died. Ending her miserable existence…that could be _today_! That could be **tonight! **That could be _**now!**_

She looked over the handrail at the busy street. The tears flowing down in black trails of mascara. An ambulance sounded through the park, cars pulled over to let it pass on its desperate attempt to save a life. But they couldn't save his…they couldn't save the one person that really mattered…

And soon they wouldn't be able to save another life. She slipped slightly on the wet rail and instinctively grabbed the rail to stop her falling. But next time there would be no saving, she was going out and she was going out with a bang. Or at least, a very loud mucky splat. It would defiantly give someone a shock…

But then she realised. _'__Why should I be the one who suffers? Alone, uncared for__…'_she wasn't the one who had ruined this life. But she would ruin someone else's life! She would get the person who had done this to her! And she would make them pay with their lives! And then she would get everyone else they cared for aswell.

She easily hopped back over the hand rails and walked briskly into the bedroom. Not bothering to turn on the light she sucked in the darkness around her as she picked out her work uniform.

A tight fitting red vest that ended in tails. And a tight pair of trousers that ended three quarters down the leg. She put on a nice black belt that clipped onto the trousers to hold them up and then an arm band on her right arm that that spikes to slice any _problems_ she encountered. She put on all her rings and even a nice pair of sunglasses -just for effect- and then walked over to her bed.

She got on all fours and reached under her bed to where she felt a wooden box. She pulled it out and opened it. She calmly took out the knives, and then shut the lid and placed it back under the bed. Then she walked over to her mirror, a little washbasin sat waiting for her to wash her face of all upsets, then she put on her darkest mascara, her brightest red lipstick and even used some of her most expensive perfume.

Now that she was done she walked back over to the window sill. Placed one knife in the back of her belt. and then jumped expertly over the rails and plummeted towards the street below.

As she dropped, she opened a little compartment within the belt. she pulled out a bit of string and attached it to the knife in her hand. Then as she passed another flat she through out the knife at the door. It smashed through the glass and embedded itself in the wood flooring.

She grabbed the other knife and held it steadily in her hand as she neared the crowd. A couple of people looked up, but not the one man who needed to more than anyone.

Jo pulled on the string and she jerked back and her descent reduced dramatically. She speeded towards the man and at the last minute, stuck out her feet to smash forcefully into the mans back.

He crumpled downwards as she crushed him with the force. A man yelped and people ran to check her out but she pulled again on the rope and the knife flew out at the crowd from above. It struck a woman in the eye and there were screams as the woman fell to the floor, dead. Blood pouring out onto the sidewalk.  
"That was the warning!" shouted Jo to the crowd. A man crouched down next to the fallen girl and cried at her to stay with him, he cried into her dead form as the crowd watched stunned.

Most of them had never seen a murder before and hardly any of them had seen anything so over the top and uncaring. The woman before them didn't even seem to mind that she had just committed a murder. Nor that there was now a man running at her from the dead lady.  
"You bitch! You killed my Sarah!" shouted the madman as his feet pounded the floor. He charged at the small lady in front of him but she didn't even seem to care. Just as he went to swing a punch she smartly stepped to the side and stuck the knife out. He ran into it full force. And the tip poked through his back. Red blotted his shirt from the back and front and more people screamed when suddenly a police car charged around the corner, screaming loudly. Flashing lights annoyed Jo's eyes and she shielded away.

"Don't move! Put your hands in the air!" shouted a police man as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. Jo stared at him for a second and then smiled. Another police officer got out and also pointed a gun at her. The smile flickered on her face for a second and then returned. The officers looked at each other and then back at the girl.

A black suited man in the crowd stepped forwards. "Who are you? What do you want? Come now, there must be something you want?" he asked. Jo turned to look at him, he was a gang boss, she'd met him before. She pulled off her glasses. They would have no further use and she dropped them to the dark ground below. They cracked as they hit the concrete and the crowds gaze watched it before turning back to Jo.  
"Who am I?" she asked. The man nodded and even the police officers looked to be wanting an answer.  
"I'm Shriek!" she shouted, and at the sound of her voice the windscreen on the police car seemed to crack. The policemen turned to it and looked at the damage that her voice had done.

"What the fuck?" asked one police officer. Then he turned to his partner to see a large knife sticking out of his back as he lay slumped across the bonnet. He turned back to the woman and saw her withdraw her outstretched hands.  
"That was a silly thing to do my dear" said the mob boss patronisingly. Shriek turned to him and sweetly smiled.  
"Oh really? Was it a naughty thing to do?" she asked, pouting her lips at him.  
"Yes my pretty, because now you have no weapon, you are no threat to us!" he replied confidently. But the look on Shrieks face warned him otherwise.

"I am Shriek! Hear me YELL!" she shouted, and then she emitted a loud screech. Glass shattered, ear drums popped and people fell to the floor in droves to protect themselves. When she finally stopped the crowd still lay quiet. The front rows were knocked out, the further rows were still awake but sobbing as they covered their aching heads. She happily walked over to the police officers, withdrew the knife out of the mans back with a crunch and then skipped off merrily to search for her next prey.


	3. Chapter 3: RIIIIICH!

Fran sat at her laptop. The phone sat next to her, silent. At any second she expected it to go off as she read through emails from fans on her Myspace. The television shouted at her from across the dark room as she stared intently at the bright computer screen in front of her. She moved her fingers lightly over the mouse-pad and clicked on a MSN conversation that appeared. A small smile played across her lips as she whispered to herself "he he, can't escape forever". He typed quickly and then sent.

[c38 Fran; [/c says:

_ Hiya Dave!_

There was a pause, and then suddenly the contact appeared offline. She sat there shocked for a second and then let out a little laugh. "Ok, that was childish." she continued with her other contacts and arranged a dinner with Mary-Jane and Peter for the next day. She smiled now knowing she'd have something to do.

Suddenly something said on the television caught her ears and she span around. She couldn't tell what she'd heard but she knew it was important. "leaving fifteen people dead and many more unconscious. We go now to our special correspondent at the scene, Richard. Well Richard, what do we know happened?" the screen split into two. The news reader sat silently. Then a new man appeared on the other divide. He was pulling a rather weird expression. His face was screwed up with his nose poking out. A mop of sandy scruffy hair covered his eyes as he stared thickly at the camera. He raised up a hand and fiddled with his ear piece and then a hushed voice whispered to him. "Speak!"

"Erm, Richard? Can you hear me?" asked the News reader as the guy sat down and started drinking a cup of coffee. He started humming a tune of his own making for a bit. Fran looked at him with her mouth opened in shock. Joining her in her weird stance was most of New York as the man continued to ignore the existence of the camera. Alone in his secret den, even Nick was watching with a shocked face. Even though he knew the man wouldn't be able to hear him, he started telling the man to get up. "Rich!"

The man smiled to himself and started laughing. The cameraman at this point seemed to be laughing and the view wobbled as the man tapped his knee to the beat. Nick was getting more and more annoyed with the man as he started clicking his fingers. "RIIIIIIIIIIIIIICH!!!!" he yelled. Suddenly the man leaped up from his pose and starred around him. There was an echo from the drain next to him and Nick suddenly worried about the man positioning. Nick looked up from the screen where the man was now staring down into the drain and up to where a man stared down at him from above a grate. "Shit" Nick looked at Richard, Richard looked at Nick. And then Suddenly Nick noticed something weird about the man. "RICH! YOUR HARD!!"

"What are you doing in a sewer? With a TV?" asked the man. Nick looked around him.

"It's roomy" he answered. Suddenly the man was pulled away from the drain and Nick was in silence once again. He looked back at the TV screen where it was now back on the News Reader who was struggling to keep a straight face as he explained the crime himself.

Fran listened to the rest of the report and then got up. She said bye to her contacts and headed for her bedroom to get her purse.

Peter sat in his room. It was his only room, it was cramped, messy, uncared for, falling apart…it was a mess. But he didn't really need it. He had his police radio there and a shower. Since he had started going back out with Mary-Jane he had spent longer and longer at hers and he only really came her when he was too tired to bother anyone else. At the minute he was laying face down on his unmade bed. He was so tired he had fallen asleep before even getting into bed. He lay with his jeans still on. His t-shirt lay on the floor next to him in a crumpled heap and his Spider suit showed from hips upwards. His gloves sat on the desk next to his mask. He snored loudly as he rested in the early morning light.

He was having another dream about the symbiote. He seemed to have a lot of them recently. The suit was huge, a large black slime that dominated the city. And on the other side stood his classic red and blue costume. Towering over the other side of Manhattan. The two giants faced each other. And even from his tiny view point on the ground, Peter could tell that the black suit was larger. He stood in the middle of the two monsters. Then all of a sudden they charged at each other. Evenly matched they smashed into each other with such a force the entire city vibrated. The two warred with the power of buildings, and then the black symbiote goo lent down and grabbed Peter in one large hand. He was covered in the stuff as it raised him to its mouth. Suddenly the red and blue suit tackled the creature to the ground and grabbed Peter in it's soft silky gloved hands. The black suit got to its feet and slammed the red suit into a building which collapsed starting a chain domino effect through the city. Again Peter was in the black suits clutches. The red suit jumped on the black suits back and smashed its head repeatedly into the ground. The black suit through it off and jumped on its chest where it started slashing at the head. The red suit threw it off. It hit the ground and Peter went flying, he yelled as he plummeted towards the ground. The red suit dived at him and caught him in a hand as the black suit slammed into him. The red suit opened its hand and the black suit stole Peter again when the red suit grabbed his arm. The black suit retorted by grabbing the other arm. Peter was being pulled as the tug of war between the two and suddenly the black suit gained the advantage and pulled him away. He struggled in it's grasp as it raised him into its mouth and the blackness closed in…

Peter's eyes snapped open. He was stuck to the ceiling above his bed. Flat backed against the white peeling paint. Sweat tricked down his brow and dropped silently onto the bed below. He looked around the quiet room. It was empty, save for him. There were no giant monsters, no black slime trying to eat him, just him, his suit, his clothes, his room, and a knock on the door…

Peter jumped from the shock and toppled onto his bed with a loud bump. He bounced off onto the uncarpeted wood flooring and coughed as the dust covered him. He quickly got up and grabbed his Spider-Man mask and gloves and hid them in a draw. Then he grabbed a jacket and zipped it up to the neck. He ran over the door and opened it to find Fran staring back at him with wide eyes. "Hi" he said sheepishly.

"Hi…are you ok? What was the banging about?" she asked as she stepped into the small room. He closed the door loudly behind her and walked over to the desk chair. Fran sat on the bed.  
"Oh…nothing, I just feel out of bed" he said, stifling a yawn. Fran smiled.  
"I hope I didn't wake you" she said  
"No, it's ok. I was just reading" he answered. Fully aware that there were no books near the bed. Fran smiled and then noticed the police radio on the table next to his bed.  
"Erm, what is that?" she asked. He thought quickly.  
"It's a…radio" he said lamely. She reached out for it and he quickly stopped her. He took her hand away from it and for a second they stayed there, hand in hand. Fran with a questioning look and Peter looking sheepish. Suddenly he let her hand go and quickly sat down on the chair again. "What did you come here for?" he asked to break the awkward silence.  
"I'm worried about Jo" she answered. Peter racked his brains to remember why she might be worried about Jo and suddenly remembered her telling them last night.  
"Because of Sool?" he asked. She nodded.  
"I'm worried she'll do something stupid" she said.  
"Like what?" asked Peter. Fran looked at him in the eyes for a second.  
"Like going after the guy who did this" she answered. Peter understood that. Twice he had chased people for killing his uncle. "Peter, you take pictures of Spider-Man, please try and get him to find out who did this, before she does!" she pleaded. Peter looked at her. She was honestly worried. He smiled.  
"Sure, I'll ask him as soon as I can" he answered. She smiled.  
"Thank you Pete" she said. She lent in and kissed him then stood up. He stood up too and she left. Then he walked over to his closet and hung up his clothes. He grabbed his mask and gloves from the draw and then leapt out of the window.


	4. Chapter 4: Small talk and big bets

The most obvious place to start his search was at the Daily Bugle. The news heard everything first and a famous actor being killed would obviously be high in the headlines. So Peter was surprised when he got to Jameson's office to find the reporter reading about a man named 'Quentin Beck'.  
"Hello Mr. Jameson, I…" started Peter. But the reporter looked up from his newspaper with an eye raised.  
"Parker? Did I ask for you?" he asked rudely. Peter stared at him for a second.  
"No…but I…" he tried again. The reporter pointed at the paper held in his fist.  
"This Quentin Beck guy was the special effects guy for the Spider-Man film" cut across J.J again.

_Oh boy, here we go again._

"He got fired for slandering the web head…good guy" said the editor with a trademark grin, "now he's decided to prove to the world the fake Spider-Man is"  
"Oh…really" said Peter with a yawn. The editor-in-chief glared at him.  
"You don't think it will work?" asked Jameson with a brow raised.  
"Not really…no" answered Peter as he scratched his ear.  
"He's going to teach that man just how easy it is to be Spider-Man" said Jameson. Peter smiled.

_I wish._

Jameson smiled back. "How about a little bet then?" Peter stared at him.  
"What kinda bet?" he asked. He knew all about J. J's bets. He was famed for them; he got little 'hunches' that always got proven right. The editor smiled.  
"If your wall crawler wins this battle against Beck, you get a raise…god forbid" began the editor, "But, if Quentin beats the Spider at his own game… you have to spend your next month's wages… on my birthday present!" Peter raised an eyebrow. Jameson had definitely lost it. Either that or this Beck guy was serious business. He was betting a raise against a birthday present… mind you, he did need the money for rent and food. Still, he'd faced worse than a special effects designer with a grudge.  
"Ok! You're on…sir" answered Peter, he held out his hand in front of him and after looking at it for a second, Jameson shook it.

Peter walked off to continue his search for Jo and J. Jonah Jameson sat back in his chair and unfolded the newspaper. "Young and inexperienced…" he muttered as Peter reached the door.  
"Old and bald" answered Peter as he exited the room. J. J threw down the paper and stared out at Peter as he walked quickly across the printing office. His expression softened and he smiled at the talented employee.

Outside the window, a wide toothy grin spread across the dark face staring through the window. "**_Soon!_**"


	5. Chapter 5: Cat Fight

Jo ran through the alley irritably. She'd been lying low since her introduction and she hadn't found out anything more about Ben's death. She was on the way now to meet up with an old 'contact' who had some information she might like.

Suddenly she heard running on the roof of one of the houses surrounding her. She flattened herself heavily against wall and hoped desperately that it wasn't Spider-Man.

The person jumped the alley quickly and Jo had just enough time to glimpse black leather and white fur.

It was that stupid cat girl again. "Why can't she just leave me alone!?" she said to herself angrily. She was so distracted by this new annoyance that she ran into the road without thinking. A car screeched to a halt and stopped a centimetre away from her.

With the sudden brakes the man driving was thrown into the steering wheel. A trickle of blood escaped his nose as he sat up in anger and blared his horn at Jo who stood staring at him without flinching.

She waited until he had finished his little display and then took in a lungful of air and screamed back at him. The tires exploded, the windows and light shattered and the sunroof collapsed through the mans shoulder. He yelled as it sliced up his muscles and disjointed his bone. A little steam even fizzed out of the bonnets sides as Jo smiled at her brief effort and skipped into the next alley feeling a little happier.

Black Cat stopped suddenly as she heard the noise. She turned on her heels and looked back the way she'd come to were a small signal of smoke appeared about two blocks away. She gritted her teeth and ran back along the roofs clearing gaps and alleys without effort. Then as she reached the street in question she saw a small car with a fire starting in the engine. She spotted the cars occupant trying desperately to unfasten his seat belt with one working arm. On the pavements a couple of people stood, daring to get closer. Black Cat threw a rope at the wall on the other side of the road and swung down to street level where she opened the door quickly and reached over the struggling man to unfasten his seat belt. Even in his current problem, he still stared at her breasts while they sat in his face, men are such perverts!

She suddenly sensed the petrol about to ignite and she grabbed the man and pulled him quickly away from the car. He flew into the crowd and Black Cat fell to the floor. She jumped back up but the car exploded and threw her into the wall of one of the streets houses.  
The crowd watched horrified as she sat stuck in the wall and then fell lifelessly to the floor. They gathered round her and the wounded man and went to check her pulse. But suddenly she sprung up and, like a cat stuck in a corner, she hissed before realising where she was.

She hopped over to the man and checked him over. "He needs a doctor," she said to the crowd.  
"What about you?" asked the man concerned, "you hit that wall pretty hard, and the explosion…your lucky your not dead!" but Black Cat just smiled.  
"Nine lives baby, nine lives" she said as she threw out a rope at the wall and sprung up to catch up with Jo.

When she caught up with Jo, she was on the main street. Running along desperately trying to get out of public view.  
"Jo! Stop!" shouted Black Cat as she swung lower to the crowd. The crowd themselves just watched amazed as she caught up with the fleeing woman on a piece of rope. Jo turned to look at her while she continued running and scowled.  
"Why are you following me?" she asked angrily, "Leave me alone!" Black Cat looked pitifully at her.  
"I want to help, please, don't do anything stupid." she begged, "I heard about Sool." she added to justify herself.

At the mention of his name Jo suddenly turned and jumped onto Black Cat with a loud yell. They crashed through the crowd onto the road. Jo sat up on Black Cats chest and slapped her hard across the face. "You have no right to speak his name!" she screamed. Black Cat's head started spinning at the noise. A car horn blared as it screeched towards them, it's brakes not stopping it. Black Cat threw a roped at a wall and sprung upwards with Jo attached. Jo fought with her grip and suddenly Black Cat dropped her towards the crowd below.

Jo fell quickly, the crowd parting to avoid being hit, with some braver people trying to catch her. Just as it seemed she was going to hit the ground, she slowed down through the air and stopped a metre above the ground. Everyone stared shocked.  
"There is still a lot you need to learn bout me Cat!" she yelled as she rose equal to her.  
"What was that? Telekinesis?" she offered.  
"No, just a mild case of psionic" she answered. Black Cat scowled and swung towards her but Jo merely glided out of the way. Black Cat threw out some spikes from her hand and Jo stopped them with a simple twist of her dagger. Black Cat swung back towards her and Jo caught her in a grapple. Black Cat couldn't fight. Jo grinned down at her. "I am not Jo anymore, she is gone. Now, I am Shriek!" she said to Black Cat who looked ready to cry with pity for her lost friend. Shriek pulled her up to face level. Looking into each others eyes. Shriek took in a deep breath and screeched at Black Cat.

Black Cat felt herself fly across the street and hit the wall with enough force to stop a train. The sound erupted inside her head as well as all around her. She toppled off the wall as she slowly closed her eyes.

She was out cold before she hit the floor.


	6. Chapter 6: Puppy love

Peter ran across the paved schoolyard. Dodging people, bags and benches. He didn't know how he'd managed it, but he'd overslept. He **never **overslept on school days! But then he had been having another dream about the symbiote.

He jumped over some fallen books and ran straight into a bench. "Ow!" he said quietly. Then he continued to his classroom.

When he got there his classmates were still piling into the elevated stands at ridiculous rates. He spotted Gwen Stacy and waved. She smiled and waved back as he approached. He sat down next to her and got out his books. He placed them all in neat piles in the right order then pulled out his pencil case and placed it in front of him. Gwen watched through it all with interest. Then he sat back up, smiled at her and faced the front. Gwen reached down, picked up her books in one hand and pencil case in the other and placed them down on the table without concentrating. Simple, yet it worked. Peter suddenly felt like an idiot and geek. But Gwen sat up and smiled at him. He suddenly felt bad. "Gwen, I just want to apologize for that time at the Jazz club…" he sad quickly. Then he felt like an even bigger idiot when she smiled and said.  
"Don't worry about it Pete, you've said sorry every lesson for the last… two months, it doesn't matter, it was a fun night. And it's in the past."

Peter smiled back and Gwen ruffled her hair shyly as a handsome sandy-haired hulk of a man walked in and sat down the row from them. She turned to Peter, "Wow, who's he? Is he new?" she asked. Peter looked down at him. He was happily talking to a couple of guys.  
"Yeah, I think so, I've never seen him before." he answered sitting back in his seat before the boys could notice he'd looked.  
"So what do you think of him?" she asked excitedly. Peter smiled at her for a second then looked at him again. He was defiantly good-looking, and he knew it. He was clearly vain, but at the same time, respected girls as girls. As was made obvious as two girls walked past. Sure he looked for a second, but only a second. He looked rich as well. Peter wasn't sure what it was about him, but his average clothes looked too shiny to be real average clothes. It had always been like that with Harry too. Rich people could afford to look poor, but their bodies wouldn't. Peter turned back to Gwen. "Go for it." he said happily.  
"Will you come along as well please? Make me look popular for when I meet him." she asked nervously. Peter smiled at her. She wanted him to make her look popular? Him, the geek among geeks?  
"Sure, I'd be happy to." He answered as he glanced at the board and suddenly realised he should have been copying by now.

The bell rang, signalling the end of lesson. Peter packed his books up and placed his pencil case in as well. The bag groaned angrily at him. He stood up to follow Gwen out when suddenly Dr. Connors turned towards him. "Parker, can I have a word for a moment?" he asked.  
"Sure professor." Peter answered, thinking of what it may be about. The rest of the class filed out quickly. Gwen signalled she'd wait outside. Peter nodded.  
"Parker, I just wanted to…" Connors began, but Peter cut him off.  
"Sir, I'm really sorry, I don't know what I was thinking, of course it's five point six degrees north. I just forgot to change the imperials into metrics" Connors stared at him for a moment.  
"No Parker, that has nothing what-so-ever to do with what I was about to talk about." Connors said. Peter raised an eyebrow. "I just wanted to ask you if you could give Spider-Man a message from me." Peter smiled at him.  
"Sure professor. What is it?" he answered. The Connors tired face lit up a little.  
"Can you tell him thank you for his help last week, I am really grateful."  
"Of course sir," Peter said smiling. It always felt good to hear a thank you. "Anything else?"  
"Well, yes, this isn't for Spider-Man exactly, but have you seen Morbius recently?" asked the professor. Peter thought about it, the last time he'd seen Michael…  
"No, I don't think I have actually. I guess I just presumed he was on holiday. Why? Is he supposed to be here?" asked Peter.  
"Well, yes. He's supposed to be taking an important exam in a couple of weeks." answered the doctor worried.  
"Are you sure he's not just skipping lessons?" asked Peter as a last resort though he already knew the answer.  
"No, he's not like that. He's an A grade student. He's never missed a lesson." answered the professor, "there's got to be something wrong…" Peter thought for a second.

The conversation lingered a second on an exam coming up soon. And then Peter said goodbye and walked out to where Gwen was waiting.  
"What was that all about?" she asked as he exited into the strong mid-day light. He squinted for a second then frowned.  
"Do you remember Michael Morbius?" he asked as they started walking in the direction of the new boy. He was walking towards the bike sheds where Peter needed to go anyway for his moped.  
"Michael? He stopped coming a couple of days ago didn't he. I presumed he'd gone on holiday," answered Gwen.  
"Yeah, that's what I thought, but apparently he just stopped coming, no holiday note. And he's got an exam coming up soon so he shouldn't anyway…" Peter said. Then he pointed to the new boy. "So, what's gonna happen with him?" Gwen looked at him.  
"I'm not sure… how will we get his attention?" she asked as they got closer to him," they were still only half-way across the courtyard. The bike shed was visible in the distance. Peter turned o her and smiled.  
"Your looking at the school geek, we'll get his attention." he said as they caught up with him. He turned forwards and tripped over a loose stone slab. He fell forwards and literally tackled the poor guy to the floor. Gwen stood shocked for a second and then lurched forwards to help them to their feet.

Peter got up and Gwen helped the new boy up to his feet. They stood there for a second looking at each other then the new guy turned to Peter. "Watch where your going" he said. Peter looked at his feet.  
"I'm sorry, the slab was loose and I wasn't really looking where I was going. The new guys expression changed. He smiled.  
"Hey, it's no problem. It was an accident, just watch your feet." he said happily, laying a soft hand on Peter's shoulder. Then he turned to Gwen. "I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced." Gwen smiled.  
"I'm Gwen Stacy." she said happily. The new guy's eyes widened.  
"Your Gwen Stacy? As in the police captains daughter?" he asked. Gwen looked shocked for a second. Then smiled.  
"Yeah, you know him?" she asked. Obviously getting more interested by the second.  
"Who doesn't?" he said admirably, "and didn't you get saved by Spider-Man as well?" Peter suddenly paid more attention.  
"Well…yes I did." she said.  
"Wow, you really have had a busy life. I think that guy is amazing." he said. Involuntarily, Peter grinned. "I've just moved here from England. I love New York, there's so much to do! So much to see! And it's so much more interesting than London." he said happily. They started walking towards the bike shed again. Peter walked on Gwen's other side.

"So, I'm sorry, I don't think I asked your name?" Peter asked. Trying to get into the conversation.  
"I'm Morris Bench. Jut call me Morrie. And you are?" he said, holding his hand out for a handshake.  
"Peter Parker. I work for the Daily Bugle." Peter answered taking hold of Morris's hand and shaking. Morris smiled at him. Then raised an eyebrow.  
"Parker…where have I heard that name from?" he asked himself.  
"I take Spider-Mans photos for the Daily Bugle." Peter answered. Morrie shook his head.  
"No, I'm sure I've heard it somewhere else." he said. Peter thought about it. "Are you any relation to 'Richard Parker'" Morrie asked. Peter stared at him.  
"I'm his son…" he said. He didn't usually talk about his parents. Mainly because he had hardly had any time to get to know them. How did this guy know his dad?  
"He was a brilliant man. He worked with my father on several big science experiments to do with particle re-creation." something clicked.  
"Wait, Bench, as in 'Howard Bench'?" asked Peter. Morrie smiled.  
"Yes. I'm his son." answered Morris with a little laugh. "What are the chances huh?" Peter smiled as once again they started towards the bikes.

"So what do you do?" asked Gwen. Morris smiled.  
"I help out my dad with his experiments." he answered proudly.  
"What kinds of things are you doing now? I heard there were experiments with sand?" asked Peter interested.  
"Yeah, we tried it for a bit but then it wasn't going anywhere. Then I moved over here to live with my dad just in time to begin with water, it's a much better progress. We're testing a new underwater generator this weekend actually." said Morrie. "Would you two like to come?" he asked happily. Once again stopping to look at the others. Gwen grinned and looked at Peter and then back at Morrie.  
"Sure, I'd love to!" she said, then she looked at Peter's expression and turned to Morrie. "But Pete won't…he's no fun." Peter looked at her shocked.  
"Actually, yes I will!" he said. Gwen grinned at him and he realised what she'd done as she winked at Morris. Morris laughed and then they continued walking.  
"Great. So meet at the Pier 62 at Chelsea Piers on Saturday at eight? It's gonna be quite dark I'm afraid and cold so bring a coat. We'll be going out in the deeper waters. I hope neither of you are scared of deep water?" he asked looked at them worriedly. Gwen shook her head.  
"Eight o'clock sounds great." said Peter as they reached the bike shed. Gwen walked off to her house a block away and the two boys got their bikes ready. Morris had a nice black motorbike. Shiny like nothing else. Peter felt quite embarrassed with his little moped but he only used it for half his life anyway. He put his helmet on and sat on his bike. Morris turned to him.

"Peter, I was just wondering, are you and Gwen…well…are you two…" he began, searching for words. Peter smiled.  
"No, we're not. We're just friends. She likes you." Morrie smiled.  
"Really?" he asked.  
"Yeah." answered Peter. "That's why I 'tripped' into you in the first place." Morris raised an eyebrow.  
"How romantic." he said bluntly. They both laughed. "Well I'll see you on Saturday yeah Peter?"  
"Sure thing Morrie." said Peter as Morris went off in the direction Gwen had gone and Peter set off for his flat.


	7. Chapter 7: Withdrawn claws

Halfway to his flat Peter suddenly decided he'd pay Mary-Jane a visit. He drove through the busy traffic until he reached her flat. Getting off the moped he locked it to a bar next to Mary-Jane's flat then rang her doorbell. There were footsteps in the hall and the door opened. Mary-Jane smiled when she saw him then beckoned him in. he walked in and she shut the door. They kissed then she led him through to the living room.

Fran sat on a chair, watching him walk in. she held an ice-pack to her head and had a serious head-ache. Peter stared at her. "What happened to you then?" he asked as he sat down on the sofa. Fran grunted.  
"I was shopping and Jo turned up fighting that Cat-woman. Suddenly she screamed and everything shattered in the shop. I've got quite a nasty cut on my back from a plane of glass. Everyone in the area was knocked out. I came to Mary-Jane because frankly she was closer than my flat is and I needed someone to talk to." Fran said. Her voice was shaky. But whether this was due to the crying that had made her eyes red, or because of her sore body, Peter couldn't tell.  
"Wait…Jo screamed and it made everything shatter? How did she do that?" Peter asked. Jo had never seemed the type to be able to do that.  
"She said that she was no longer Jo, that she was something else…shriek…I think. My head hurts too much to remember right now. And then she screamed" Peter thought about it. Then he got up.  
"Peter, where are you going?" asked Mary-Jane. Though she probably knew already.  
"J.J. will pay a lot for pictures of the scene." he lied. Mary-Jane and Fran exchanged looks. Mary-Jane escorted him to the door. He walked out onto the front step and Mary-Jane grabbed his arm.

"Please be careful." she asked. Peter smiled at her.  
"Don't worry, after all, it's only taking pictures of the scene isn't it?" Mary-Jane smiled back.  
"Yeah I guess so." she answered him. He kissed her lightly on the lips and then hopped over her banister into the alley next to her flat. he quickly stripped into his Spider-Man outfit and swung off in search of Jo or 'Shriek' if that's what she had become.

He started at the Daily Bugle. Where else **would **you start? He dropped through the skylight and grabbed his spare clothes from a loose brick in the wall. Still astounded as ever that they hadn't been found yet, he quickly put them on and ran off to the main office.  
"Parker? I didn't call for you did I?" asked J.J. as politely as ever. Peter rolled his eyes.  
"No Mr. Jameson, I came because I heard about the incident with…" Peter started.  
"Actually, I've got a job for you," butted in J.J. getting up from his seat. "Been some funny sightings round the Empire State University. People saying they've seen _vampires_." Peter's eyes widened.  
"Vampires? At the university? You must be joking sir." said Peter.  
"No joke, but it's unlikely to be anything more than some serial killer with weird ideas. I thought you might volunteer to get me some pictures. Get on the roof of a building and just take some pictures of him in the act. Get a good one of his face." said J.J. moving his hands around in front of him, clearly visualising it. Peter raised an eyebrow.  
"So you want me to sit on a rooftop taking pictures of a mass murderer that drinks blood in the middle of the night?" he asked stubbornly. He didn't believe in vampires, and he had sealed with murderers many times before, but this just didn't sit well.  
"Perfect. With a quick mind like that you could be chief editor within a year!" said the publisher, obviously missing the hint. Peter shook his head and walked out the door.

He picked up his night vision lens from his staff desk '_staff desk. __**Staff desk! **__Never gets old_' and walked off in the direction of the men's toilets.


	8. Chapter 8: SpiderMan vs Morbius

The woman walked slowly down the road. Her high heels tapping each time she put her foot down. A light breeze rippled through her long blonde hair and she clutched her coat closer to her. She turned down an alleyway and continued out into the courtyard of the Empire State University. Her eyes flicked around to check nobody was watching them she quickly walked across the school areas. But nobody noticed her taking this naughty shortcut.

Nobody, that is, except Spider-Man.

He sat carefully watching her go. He would have told her off for it usually but after watching it for half the night it turned out it was quite the shortcut for people at four o'clock in the morning. And still he had not yet glimpsed a 'vampire'.

But then, all of a sudden, the woman was on the floor with a hand across her mouth. She struggled against the grip and for a second Spider-Man thought she was about to be raped. He stood up from his crouch silently and was about to jump down when he saw the attackers face.

His long black hair glinted in the moonlight with an unnatural shine, it was parted perfectly down the middle though one side flopped out. The other side hid behind a large elf-like ear. Deep hollow eyes shadowed his face with bright green irises ad tiny pupils staring at the woman. His nose was deformed into an almost bat shape. With long nostrils going half-way up the nose. Cheek bones stuck out against stretched skin in contrast to the many wrinkles along his forehead and chin. Small beards split into two pointed off his chin like black fangs themselves. But his mouth was what gave it away, he grinned revealing shiny white teeth that wouldn't have looked out of place on a film star. Except that the canines were longer than normal. To the point that they stuck slightly out of his mouth. It was a vampire. And somehow, in that moment Peter also realised, that it was Morbius.

Morbius turned her head this way and that, toying with her. Spider-Man jumped across the gap onto the bell tower and got ready to swing and kick into him. But then suddenly Morbius's head flew down and the woman screamed into his clawed hand as he bit her.

Spider-Man sat in shock and watched. He'd actually bit her. Her eyes had glazed over. What would happen now? Would she turn into a vampire too? He didn't know a lot about these things. He suddenly realised that the woman was dead. And the man was drinking up her blood. He slopped it down his shirt, his chin was covered. A long pointed tongue licked it up a bit before continuing to drink his fill. Spider-Man didn't know what to do. So, he did the only thing that came to his head, he took out his camera, aimed his site, zoomed in…and took the vampires picture.

Five shots later and suddenly the vampire noticed him. It glared at him and then vanished into the alley. Spider-Man swung down to catch him but he'd gone. Spider-Man walked over to the woman and looked down at her. She had been pretty. Her face was not that different from Gwen's. And for a second he felt a shiver down his spine. But then he heard a swoosh behind him and back flipped over the grab that Morbius sent his way. The vampire crashed into the concrete and turned to face him. "Morbius!" Spider-Man shouted. "Stop, we can help you, please, you cannot kill people like this… this isn't you".

Morbius turned to him, scowled and then charged again. Spider-Man zipped up to the roof he had sat on originally and Morbius leapt up to join him. "How do you know my name?" he asked Spider-Man as he threw a punch. Spider-Man easily dodged it.  
"You went missing, everyone was worried. What happened to you?" he asked as he got him in a lock to calm him down. Morbius threw him off and then glared at him. Spider-Man suddenly started noticing small changes in his appearance. His eyes were less shadowed and they irises were larger, darker green. The pupils showed more. The ears started becoming more human. The teeth retracted back into his mouth. The wrinkles smoothed out and his cheeks filled out a bit more. His nose was last to change and the nostrils were pushed down as the tip pushed out and became more human. Within ten seconds Michael Morbius was looking back at him again. He looked even more vicious now as a normal human with blood all down himself. His eyes spun and he fell to the floor. Spider-Man ran over and helped him up. "Are you ok?" he asked. Morbius suddenly faced him and Spider-Man realised his mind hadn't changed.  
"Yes." he answered as he threw Spider-Man into a large stone pillar on the roof. Spider-Man fell to the floor and rose back to his feet.  
"Ouch." he said simply. Morbius was once again upon him. Punching him hard in the face. His neck snapped back and Morbius rose it again and again. Spider-Man rose an arm and blocked a punch but Morbius instead kicked him in the gut. Spider-Man fell forwards and Morbius rose the mask from the shoulders up to the chin so he could see his neck.  
"Let's see what radio-active blood tastes like shall we?" he asked rhetorically. Spider-Man waited until the last minute and then rolled backwards kicking Morbius in the groin, stomach, chest and then finally face.  
"Not today." he said as he axe kicked him in the back of the neck. Morbius fell to the floor and Spider-Man webbed him to the roof. Suddenly Morbius started steaming. He yelled out in pain as the tip of the sun became visible over the city skyline. He ripped free of the webbing and jumped off the roof and down an alleyway. Within a second he was gone. And Spider-Man sat panting, clutching his chest.


	9. Chapter 9: A Nightmare Situation

Peter walked slowly up the creaking stairs. Each one sounded like a mouse had hidden under it at the wrong time. And the mice were getting bigger. As he reached the top, he heard a gruff voice call out. "Rent." but as the landlord opened his door and saw Peter covered in blood. He quickly shut it again and went quiet.

Peter walked into the bathroom and washed himself clean of any blood. Cleaning a small cut on his arm from the pillar. Then he walked into his room. Shut the door, and fell asleep on his bed.

_ The suit crept along. The leafy floor was rustled as it moved in between the trees and sprouts. It noticed a light up ahead and slithered faster. Two people were coming. A man and a woman. Laughing with each other and talking about 'Spider-Man'. But their conversations were of no importance to it. One bit at a time it moved towards them. They sat upon the light, it was a bike, or something like it. It had an engine which suddenly made a noise. The slimes were quicker now, it mustn't let them go. The man was strong, stronger than a normal human being. With extra…"traits" that normal humans didn't have either. They laughed again and then put hard hats upon their heads. The boy kicked a peddle and the engine roared at the slime, shooting black mess at it. But the slime was not intimidated. It quickly stuck onto letters and numbers on the backside of the bike just as it pulled away…_

Shriek ran down the road. Trying to find somewhere to hide. Her contact hadn't shown up and after the fight on the street she was desperate to lay low, non-existent. Till it was safe to continue her search for the murderer. She ran along an alleyway. The early sun not yet breaching this hidden site. She sat down next to a drain and heard panting from below. There was a small steam trail coming from it. She looked down into it and saw a man staring back. Normal in everyway, except maybe for the setting and ripped clothing. She presumed her was homeless and moved away from the drain.

Suddenly the drain broke free and the man grabbed her. She yelled at him but her noise had no effect. She suddenly felt very powerless and grabbed her daggers. She stuck one into his chest and cut of a hand with the other accidentally -not that she was complaining-. He looked at his missing hand and the neck in his chest for a few seconds, then simply pulled out the knife and placed it on the floor. "Your quite a fighter," he complimented Shriek in an odd accent. And then suddenly he bit her neck. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open in shock, but she couldn't move.

He dropped her to the floor and dropped back inside the drain. She lay there trying to cover up the holes in her neck where his fangs had stabbed. And then the sun shone. She felt it burn at her. She didn't know why but she had to get out of the sun. she crawled slowly towards the drain. Though it took all of her energy to do it. And threw herself down it just as the sun broke into the alleyway.

_ Just a little bit more__…__and it was in. it looked around to make sure the coast was clear and then slithered down the radiator to the floor. Feeling the tickling sensation of warmth. It had spent several days climbing the wall up to his flat. Disguised as a slither of running tar it was a good plan but did make progress slow. It crawled over to the desk and looked at it. A ring sat upon it. With a small diamond implanted upon its surface. Breaking the smooth circle shape. A couple of pictures also sat upon the desk. An old couple with the man on the bike. A smiling brown haired man with an identical father. And the red-haired girl from the bike. It dripped back down to the floor and hid underneath the desk as the man came in looking angry. It could wait here for now._

Peter sat bolt upright in bed. The duvet was covering him and his arm was plastered up. He looked at it for a second before he noticed the girl at the end of his bed.  
"Hi Pete" said Ursula shyly. Peter stared at her for a second.  
"Hi…" he said. Not sure what she might have seen. In his nightmares of the symbiote he had constantly woken on the ceiling. The fact that he was in his bed was good. But had he been there the whole time?  
"You were restless and you looked ill. We thought maybe you'd got into a fight?" she asked, concerned.  
"I got jumped. But it's nothing big. It's fine." Peter answered.  
"I plastered up your arm as well." she said as she went to remove it to check. Peter suddenly started twitching.  
"No, it's fine. I'll check it in a minute." he said, but she'd already ripped it off sharply. "Ouch." the space was completely unharmed.  
"Well, that's weird…it was all deep cut yesterday. It must have healed well." she said with a smile.  
"Yeah, it must have." answered Peter uneasily. She left him and he slowly got up out of his bed to begin a new day.


	10. Chapter 10: The Goblin's Plan

_Drip_

Sewers aren't very nice places.

_Drip_

Connected to drains from toilets, baths and sinks.

_Drip_

They are ten times worse in a city as big and heavily populated as New York.

_Drip_

Cold, dark and wet.

_Drip_

The perfect last resort for something that can only come out at night like a vampire.

_Drip_

But not however…for Nick.

_Drip_

"Oh for God's sake!" Nick shouted as he looked up at the infuriating wet ceiling. Another drip came down and landed on Nicks forehead with a justified _splat_. He scowled. "How am I supposed to be a scary villain when I hide in shit?" he asked to nobody in particular.  
_**Oh stop your moaning! **_Answered nobody in particular, _**As it happens, I know a place we can get very good equipment for you. You could become the new Green Goblin. Instead of this**__**…**__**Grey Goblin**__**…**__**you are now.  
**_"I'm listening." Nick said. Stretching his back from stooping over his glider.  
_**All we need to do is**__**…**_started the Goblin. It's voice echoing in the dank tube.  
"And actually, I'm not so much a Grey Goblin, as a faded purple and green Goblin." butted in Nick. He could feel the Goblin staring at him silently. Whether it was out of annoyance, anger, or a bit of both, was anyone's guess.

_**So you**__**'**__**d like to be called the Faded Green and Purple Goblin? **_It asked him sarcastically.  
"Grey is fine. Thank you," Nick said, he didn't know why but there was something about that voice that he had to agree with. It had odd logic, but it was defiantly logic, "please do continue about this armour."  
_**Thank you, **_it said, still sarcastically. _**Have you ever heard of the Osborn Mansion?  
**_"Well of course I have. Who hasn't? I worked with him on one of the project for goodness sakes." answered Nick.  
_**Good. Do you know where it is? **_Asked the voice. Nick opened and closed his mouth several times but nothing came out.

_**That's fine. I'll drive. There is a hidden lab in there. The other Green Goblin from the fair clearly has already been there but he set off in the wrong direction to be heading back there. Plus his Goblin is calm. So I'm presuming it will be safe to head over there tonight and grab it.**_ The Goblin explained. Nick grinned.  
"And then we shall get those bastards back for firing me. I mean, I'm a genius! And those monster marshmallows were a work of art!" said Nick.

The boy ran down the road. Splashing the puddles and dodging the cracks in the pavement. Suddenly the drain next to him started laughing maniacally. He stared at it for a second then ran and hid behind a bin as the laughing got louder and louder and then the drain exploded from the inside and a grey creature shot out. It had blobs of green and purple here and there but the costume was faded and even the boy wouldn't have been scared of it had it not been for the fact it flew off into the night with a mental cackling.

Nick flew across the city happily. Everything was back on track now. He landed lightly on a giant house with heavy stone walls. It would be impossible to break in without being seen. But then the Goblin led him over to a skylight to a black room below. The Goblin moved his fingers over to a small stone laying randomly on the smooth roof and the skylight opened. Nick jumped through.

As he landed the lights turned on. "Wow, neat trick." he said complimenting.  
_**That wasn**__**'**__**t us that did that. **_Answered the Goblin as Nick turned around to see the other Green Goblin staring at him.  
"Bollocks." he said simply, "this was all going so well as well…"


	11. Chapter 11: Green Goblin vs Grey Goblin

The two goblins stood and stared at each other. Then the Green one lunged forwards. Nick shrieked and dropped to the floor, in avertedly dodging his attack and sending the green one flying into a shelf of goblin formula which exploded. Sending green smoke everywhere.

The two faced each other again and this time Nick attacked with a well aimed punch to the nose. Which of course hit his opponents armoured arm. "Ouch!" he said as the Green Goblin aimed a kick into his stomach. He went flying through a sheet of glass and when he got back up he was inside a chamber like the formula one at OsCorp. "Wow, this guy really does have everything doesn't he?"

The Green Goblin jumped into the chamber as well and suddenly they were fighting. Punches and kicks flew like bullets and like Neo the two dodged them perfectly or simply blocked them and countered. They were equally matched with both of them using the goblin powers to their full advantage. Somehow though, Grey Goblin got the advantage and sent Green Goblin flying through the glass into a shelf of Pumpkin Bombs. Grey got out a bomb from his suit and threw it. Hoping to detonate the whole shelf and destroy the other goblin completely. But the Green Goblin rolled away and the shelf exploded without even touching the other man. The Green Goblin grabbed a sword off a rack and pressed a button on the hilt sending an electric current up the blade.

The Grey Goblin jumped out of the chamber and grabbed a sword as well. But it wouldn't un-attach. He fought with it as the Green Goblin ran at him and he rolled away from the first attack pulling the rack over and pulling the sword free. He pressed his hilt and an electric current shot up his blade as well. The two fought in the ever growing green fog of formula. Their swords sparking every time they connected. Green Goblin pressed a button on his wrist and his glider shot at Grey Goblin who easily dodged its attack and landed upon it. He pressed his rusted wrist and his glider shot down through the roof at Green Goblin who also dodged it's attack and landed upon it. They flew at each other, slicing the air with their electric blades and sharp gliders.

They traded blows furiously with punches and slashes. Suddenly the Green Goblin raised his hand. "Stop!" he shouted. He was using a human voice and the goblin was obviously listening as well. Grey Goblin stopped in his tracks and put his sword by his side.  
"Yes?" he asked.  
"Why are we even fighting each other?" asked the Green Goblin. The Grey Goblin stared at him.  
"Why are we not working as a team to bring revenge on those who deserve it?" asked the Green Goblin.  
"I'm not sure," answered Nick, now using his normal voice as well, "it would make sense. It would also make life a lot easier." he added. Thinking of all the problems he had had since this other goblin came into his life.  
"You are a very talented fighter," complimented David. Not fully human voiced. Nick recognised the voice and at the same time David jutted forwards. "I know that you are Nicholas Brett. The one who threw me through the glass and left me for dead. But I understand why you did it. And frankly, you gave me this too. So I am willing to do a deal with you." he said simply. Nick listened in.  
"Join sides with me, become my aid. And in return I shall give you the equipment you want and the chance to enact revenge on whoever you please." said David temptingly. Nick smiled under his mask.  
"Ok, that sounds like a good enough plan." he answered as he suddenly spotted an silver mask with bright golden eyes. "But that mask is mine!" he said as he swooped down and grabbed it. He swapped masks and looked back at David who smiled.

"Ok then, we shall build you a new suit. Give you new weapons, you can become the Bogeyman of peoples dreams, the superficial object of fear and trouble, the foolish consistency of little minds, the Robin Goblin of nightmares…the Hobgoblin if you will." Nick grinned under his mask.

_** Hobgoblin? Not a bad name. Bit of a lengthy build up though…this guys clearly been planning for this… **_said the Goblin in Nicks head. And David's goblin answered.  
_**Ahh shuddup. Just because I've been living in a mansion instead of a sewer. **_The two Goblins laughed with each other.

"Soon, we shall bring this city to it's knees. We shall begin a new age! The age of the Goblins!" said David in an ever growing yell. The two laughed together with monomaniacal shrieks.

"Do we still celebrate Christmas?" asked Nick thoughtfully. David stared at him. "Sorry."


	12. Chapter 12: The Black

The thugs name was John, and he was having a good day. He had mugged three innocent people, stolen a necklace and even broken into a house. And Spider-Man was still nowhere to be seen.

He ran happily down the road. The rain thundered down but he merrily ignored it as he jumped into a deep puddle on the side of the road. The freezing, dirty water splashed up around his sodden trainers and he felt it seep through his thick woollen socks.

A police car roared past the end f the road and he pulled his hood up. Putting his gloved hands into his pockets he turned into an alleyway and stopped.

There, in the shadows before him, sat Black-Suited Spider-Man. The thug stepped backwards but and hero just watched him with large white eyes. And then, the eyes blinked.

John was lucky enough that he had never seen Spider-Man face-to-face. But he was certain that masks couldn't blink. "Who are you?" he shouted into the darkness. It blinked again and then a row of shiny yellow spiky teeth appeared in a toothy grin. The thug took another step back. "**What** are you?" he asked.  
"What are we?" asked the voice.

Edward Brock Jr. stood at the bottom of the bell tower. 'Who is that?' he asked himself. Another yell from above and the figure was in the light again. "Parker…?"

_DONG_

Parker wrestled with his own suit. He yelled as he ripped it from his arm to fall off the edge.

_DONG_

A drop of the suit landed on Eddies jacket and started becoming bigger. He yelped at it and threw off the jacket. But then a large strand came down from the ceiling.

_DONG_

'What is this??' the substance wrapped around his fingers, his nails became claws. It consumed his arm, it covered his shirt, his trousers were black. His feet suited up. Even his wristwatch disappeared underneath. 'What--'"AGH!!"

_DONG_

'Get it off me!!' it crawled up his neck. His muscles were growing as it fed him. "GET IT OFF!!" he screamed as it covered his hair and closed in on his face.

He went to yell but the creature fell into his mouth, he gagged as it entered his throat. His teeth had become fangs/ his eyes were last to go… and then…

'It's-- it's--' 'OH GOD!!' 'IT'S ALL OVER ME!!'

Eddie raised his head… only…

'It's-- inside me!!' he opened his mouth. 'This--it's-- it's trying to--' suddenly he let his tongue drop out. It reached his chest. 'it's trying to control me' he looked at his chest, which was emblazoned with a large white spider. His chest rose and fell in time with his breathing.

And then he realised it. 'It's-- it's BREATHING for me' he clenched a clawed hand and found himself sitting in a crouching position. 'its--in my pores-- under my skin'

The rain thundered outside but he had little time for it. 'So cold.'

He looked up at the bell tower where all had gone quiet. Parker had already left. 'So-- so--' he took his head in his hands and almost cried. But he couldn't '--Cold'.

Everything was black. "So… so cold" 'What-- what had happened to me??' "What is this?!" 'I'm DEAD!!' "I MUST be dead!!" 'No-- no--' "CALM DOWN!!" 'Just--just calm down.' "Cold," 'Not dead-- just cold'

"AARRGGH!!" he yelled in confusion and frustration.

"Can't get it off…I can't stop this"

Suddenly he opened his eyes. He was in an alleyway. 'Won't let go of me-- can't--' he had to get out, he had to get to… "GWEN!!" he hated himself. 'I should never have-- I should have run' now she would hate him, what he was. 'Gwen.' she would think him a _monster_. "Get it off me!! OFF ME!!" He **was** a monster. 'It's feeding on me…it's eating me alive.' he was a monster and it was all his fault. 'what have I done?' he asked himself.

No…wait… "PARKER!!" it wasn't his fault at all, it was Peters. "PARKER" he would see him pay for this. "What did you do to me??"

Voices sounded ahead. The rain poured down but now there was something new… a man's voice.  
"Oh dude, please, _**please**_ tell me you got four more dogs?"  
"I'm closed" answered another voice, sounding annoyed.  
"Please man, we are **so** starving." asked a girls voice sweetly.  
"It's raining! Gimme a break!" answered the annoyed voice. Eddie slowly sneaked towards them.  
"I'll double your price?" pleaded a third male voice. This one sounded amused, it was all a game to him.  
"Closed." said the annoyed man.  
"Triple your price?" said the girl.  
"It's **RAINING**. I'm going home, and you should too" answered the annoyed man.

Eddie reached the end of the alleyway. The annoyed man stood with his back to the alley, he wore a large green anorak with the hood up, shielding him from the rain. The three customers on the other hand wore light t-shirts and jeans and didn't seem to notice the downpour at all.  
"Where's your sense of adventure?" asked the girl, she was pretty with dark tanned skin, long black hair and deep blue eyes. She wore no makeup and yet her lips still shined in the evening gloom. Eddie moved against the wall, hiding in the shadows. These were normal people, he could never be a part of this life again…  
"Yeah dude, it's just water.." started the first man, the one nearest the alleyway. With black hair placed into an emo fringe that stuck to his face in the rain. He had green eyes that had a light in them, they possessed no evil and had seen none either. And Eddie felt anger brewing in his heart, anger and jealousy. "It's just natures way of…" but unfortunately they never found out what the rain was because at that moment the third man looked into the alleyway. "Uh…guy…" he stuttered. He was a tell man, dark skinned with a bald head. The rain bounced off.

The others followed his gaze into the dark alleyway. "What…is that?" the light was dimming around them and shadows filled the alley, but the light glinted off a silhouette. The girl peered in, "is that a dog?"

'COLD' anger flowed through Brock. So that's what he had been lowered to? A dog!? The humans looked in closely…

_THWIPP!_

Black webbing shot out of the alleyway and covered the watchers. The men yelled and the girl screamed as they were wrapped in the cocoons.

Suddenly something burst out of the alleyway. It roughly resembled a mans shape but was taller, bigger, more over-the-top. It's hands were claws and giant spider covered it's chest. A giant fang filled mouth covered half the face, it reached back to the ears and a giant tongue flew out as it roared and then…  
"What is this??" screamed Eddie as his mind filled with people he didn't know, 'my mind-- it's on fire' "AHH! Make it stop!"

An old couple smiled at him, then suddenly he was crouching over the old man, the man was dieing, a wrestler ran at him with a crowbar and he easily flipped him, now he was giving J.J. some pictures of Spider-Man, but they were old one's he hadn't taken. A chubby man in a drench coat stood over him with four large, metal arms appearing from his back, then he was fighting a mad made out of sand in a truck, he was taking pictures of a red haired girl standing next to some tanks with red and blue spiders in them. A large green face laughed at him, he was upside down, kissing in the rain, a spider bit his hand, Gwen sitting next to him doing science, a large… "GWEN" "This isn't my life…Gwen?" 'Who's life is this? Why is this happening? What does this mean?' the symbiote raised from his body screaming, adding to the pain. "Why won't it stop??"

Suddenly there were lights, bright lights, flashing lights. Rain hit him. A man's voice, a voice he knew, the hotdog man's voice. "There, over there by the alley!" he opened his eyes, the man was running away behind a police car.  
"Lie on the ground! Put your hands over your head!!" the police crept forwards and Eddie was thrown into the light. "Oh my GOD!"  
"What the fuck is that?" they opened fire. The bullets ripped through the suit. Eddie roared.  
"Oh my God!" Eddie moved forwards but the police got well aimed shots, the bullets tore through the suits chest, through Eddies chest. He staggered backwards and crumpled to the floor.

The younger officer stood in shock but the older man grabbed his chest radio. "This is unit 43, we have a possible 19? We think the subject is down…" the younger officer turned to his superior.  
"Nineteen?" the older officer looked back.  
"What would _you _call then?"

Eddies heart beat slowed. The suit started seeping off as it sensed it's hosts weakness. But then one name came into his mind, everything fitted together again, and it kept his heart beat up. PARKER.

Eddie leapt up, throwing the officers who had journeyed too close. He jumped onto the police cars bonnet and spring boarded up onto a roof.  
"Parker did this to me! He made me this monster! He set me up!"

'This black, it's breathing, thinking, LIVING for me!' 'Cold--'

'Why am I--' he looked at his hands…but they weren't his, they were gloved, red gloved!

'What is this??' he saw a mirror, Parker looked back.

'Parker--'

He blinked and the same mirror showed, only this time Spider-Man starred back.

'Is--?'

He blinked and once again the mirror, Spider-Man had his mask off and Peter looked out.

"SPIDER-MAN!!"

'This Black! It was on Parker! Now it's mine! I have his powers, his memories!'

'Cold.'

'It wants Parker, _**I **_want Parker!'

'Look at me now! Look at me! Anything he could do, I can do! I can do it better!'

"Anything he had… I can have…"

He swung through the city. Rain bouncing off, the air flying by. He grinned as he landed silently on the wall of the Stacy household. 'Anything--'

He peered through the window at Gwen and her father. "But you just got home." pleaded Gwen.  
"I have to go," answered the captain, putting on his coat.

'Gwen. My Gwen!' the family left the room. Eddie entered the window and looked at the desk. On it sat a folder that showed an old man. A pang of recognition flew through him as he saw the tag. **'****Parker, Ben****'**then at another one, **'****Marko, Flint****'**

Suddenly Gwen entered. The room was empty, the window open. The rain soaked and the floor and Gwen shut the window….

The thug stepped back from the approaching figure. "What are we?" long tentacles shot out and grabbed the man.

"WE ARE VENOM!!"

The man ddn't even have time to yell as he disappeared inside the creatures chest.


End file.
